Survey of European drinking surveys. Alcohol survey experiences of 22 European countries

Abstract

This article provides a review of the drinking survey experiences from majority of European countries. Its aim is to report from this review whose ultimate objectives were:– to assess existing survey instruments to monitor alcohol use and related harm– to identify questions and approaches most commonly usedin order to contribute to the development of standardized European survey instrument. The review was based on data collected across Europe using questionnaire targeting alcohol researches in individual countries. Of 29 countries approached (European Union Member States, Norway and Switzerland), the data were collected from 22 countries constituting 76% of the originally targeted sample. All together, 43 survey instruments were collected as some countries reported more than one survey. The review shows a low degree of uniformity across European surveys, with regard to sampling, methods of administration as well as age ranges. Particular variation was found with regard to alcohol consumption measures both within and between countries. Various instruments to measure alcohol consumption, risky drinking, dependence/abuse, negative social consequences and harm to third parties are used across Europe. Even the terminology is not uniformed. This review identified most important areas of priority towards standardization of alcohol measures across Europe including definitions of indicators.